Play Time
Cuddle + Kind Polly The Panda
$84.00 – $104.00I’m a playful little panda who loves to run, jump, and climb my way through the fresh bamboo grove where I live. Sometimes I take a tumble, but I just...
Maileg Pony Small
$28.00This charming brown pony is ready for hours of imaginative play and gentle rides through the countryside. Made from a soft cotton-linen blend, it’s beautifully detailed with a cotton string...
Simon & Schuster Pop Up Book Alice's Adventures in Won...
$39.99Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is Robert Sabuda's most amazing creation ever, featuring stunning pop-ups illustrated in John Tenniel's classic style. The text is faithful to Lewis Carroll's original story, and...
Simon & Schuster Pop Up Book Beauty & The Beast
$39.99Even more innovative than his last, Robert Sabuda will captivate all with his latest pop-up masterpiece, Beauty & the Beast! True love blooms in this three-dimensional adaptation of a beloved...
Simon & Schuster Pop Up Book Peter Pan
$39.99Readers will delight in this retelling of the classic story of Neverland, pirates, and flying. Robert Sabuda's elegant text and paper engineering give new life to favorite charcters like Tinkerbell,...
Simon & Schuster Pop Up Book The Dragon & The Knight
$29.99All of your favorite fairy tale characters come together in this original pop-up masterpiece, from expert craftsman Robert Sabuda. In this brand-new pop-up adventure, a Dragon and a Knight race...
Simon & Schuster Pop Up Book The Jungle Book
$39.99In this stunning retelling of a phenomenal classic, honor is tested, battles of good over evil are waged, and the importance of family reigns supreme. True to Rudyard Kipling's original...
Simon & Schuster Pop Up Book The Little Mermaid
$39.99A beloved under-the-sea tale is now a pop-up masterpiece, from expert craftsman Robert Sabuda. Come along on a magical journey under the sea in this stunning pop-up adaptation of the...
Simon & Schuster Pop Up Book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
$39.99Robert Sabuda has created a resplendent pop-up version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the original publication. This glorious edition is told in a...
Penguin Pop Up Jungle Book
$15.99Hop aboard a riverboat for a colorful trek into the depths of the jungle with its many wonders. Tree frogs, monkeys, and jewel-toned birds are just a few of the...
Penguin Pop Up Ocean Book
$15.99Dive into a cool underwater who’s who and what’s what of the sea in this palm-size pop-up treasure. Discover ocean dwellers like the crab, octopus, and sea horse as they...
Penguin Pop Up Things That Go Book
$15.99Modes of transportation are exciting and ever popular — and here they get an attractive makeover in a kid-friendly pop-up with pages of things that go, from ice-cream trucks...
Simon & Schuster Pop-Up Book Cinderella
$39.99Matthew Reinhart's resplendent retelling of Cinderella comes to life with intricate pop-ups, foil, ribbons, acetate, and amazing dimensional surprises. The stunning transformation of a pumpkin into a magnificent coach, a rat into...
Simon & Schuster Pop-Up Book Raggedy Ann and Andy and ...
$34.99Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Camel with the Wrinkled Knees Raggedy fans of all ages will delight in this three-dimensional interpretation of Johnny Gruelle's classic story. Dazzling paper...
Tender Leaf Toys Pots and Pans
$38.00Prepare dinner for your friends! A retro-style casserole pot, a frying pan, a baking dish, 2 wooden cooking utensils and a handy pair of tongs. Stir the tomato and the...
Le Toy Van Pots and Pans
$40.00A smart wooden cookware set for budding young chefs. Cook up a feast with this sweet toy which comprises a casserole pot with a lid, saucepan, frying pan, wooden...
Plantoys Pounding Bench
$60.00Pounding Bench is the perfect toy for fun play to encourage your excited little one to burn off energy! When all the pegs are pounded, your child can just turn...
Maileg Pram Mouse - Coral
$44.00The beautiful pram has a vintage look and comes with a sleeping bag and a soft mattress. The pram is designed for all the baby mice so the parents can...
Chronicle Books Presiona Aqui (Press Here Spanish Edi...
$15.99Press Here, the irrepressible New York Times bestseller, is now available in a Spanish language edition. With four starred reviews, a long-running spot as a New York Times bestseller, and...
Chronicle Books Press Here (English Edition) Book
$17.99Press the yellow dot on the cover of this book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! Each page of this surprising book instructs the reader to...
Candylab Pretzel Van Toy Car
$22.00You’re knot going to be able to resist the new Dr. Salty Van. Trust us, we’re all twisted up over this one. The Dr. Salty Van wouldn’t be right without...
Oli and Carol Primary Floating Blocks
$35.00The Bauhaus Movement geometric figures are the coolest interactive blocks for littles & not so littles! Easy-to-pile while educating babies into basic shapes and colors that surround them.Kids will develop...
Maileg Prince Mouse, Big Brother - Ocher
$30.00The little prince is dressed in his finest clothes. He is ready to play around at the Castle. DimensionsHeight: 5.12in, Net weight: 0.02lbRecommended Age+3
Mud Pie Princess Wood Set
$24.00Description 12-piece princess set. Wooden accessories for hours of make believe! Ages 3+. Dimension: pieces approx 3" x 3" Material: PINE WOOD
Play is essential for children because it contributes to their intellectual, physical, emotional and social development. When children play, they exercise their creativity, develop their imagination, master their dexterity, improve their cognitive ability and build physical strength. Experts agree that the best kinds of play allow kids to set their own goals, negotiate challenges, develop and share ideas, and make their own rules.
But how can we make sure our kids are getting enough healthy, unstructured play time when they’re growing up in an overscheduled and stressful environment, when parents are overly focused on producing high academic achievers, and safety concerns prevent us from letting our kids roam around freely and unsupervised? Perhaps the best thing we can do for our kids is to make sure they have the right kinds of toys at home to make play time most rewarding.
First and foremost is safety. Safe toys for young children are sturdy, without sharp parts or splinters, free of pinching hazards, and easy to clean. If the toy will be used by an infant, it’s important that parts aren’t small enough to become a choking hazard.
Toys must be made from non-toxic materials and coated with lead-free paints. You should steer clear of antique toys, second-hand toys and homemade toys that have not been tested and approved by a certified testing lab, or may have been produced before the current regulations governing toy manufacturing were in effect.
In addition to being safe, a good toy will match the child’s appropriate stage of development and abilities.
The best baby activity toys for infants between 0-6 months are things they can reach, grasp, suck on, shake, and make noise with. Some age-appropriate toys for little babies are squeeze toys, teething toys, soft dolls, textured balls, and board books.
Infants between 6-12 months are starting to crawl, sit up and pull themselves to a standing position. They are capable putting things in and out of containers and placing objects on top of each other. Some of the best baby activity toys for this age group are dolls, vehicles with wheels, bath toys, large beads, nesting toys, large soft blocks, wooden blocks, and push & pull toys.
As your child continues to grow, look for toys that will encourage them to explore, create, pretend, imagine, and learn from trial and error.